Love Conquers All: So They Say
by LegolasLoverLimwen
Summary: This will be a two-shot/drabble. Takes place during 'The Big Game' and 'Revelations'. Reid has a girlfriend named Claire who is an artist. This will mainly be her POV. This is how his captivity affects her. Rated M to be safe.
1. Part One

"_**Fairy tales are not true. They are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated." – GK Chesterton**_

Claire whooped and hollered along with Aaron Hotchner and Jennifer Jureau as they watched the final seconds of the Super Bowl at a crowded college pub in Quantico, Virginia. The pub might have been outdated and dusty and the music may have been cranked up a little too loud. But, the team of profilers and their guests didn't care. Despite all its shortcomings, the shanty bar was full of life. It reminded the team of the other side of human-kind, the lighter side.

Claire laughed as she watched Derek Morgan bump and grind on the dance floor with at least three younger women. She laughed even harder when Penelope Garcia ordered her and Emily Prentiss not to allow anyone to touch her prime viewing spot of Morgan whilst she visited the powder room.

"She cracks me up!" Emily exclaimed taking a sip of her mixed drink.

"I know she is a riot," Hayley Hotchner smiled.

"She certainly keeps her man-candy on a long leash," Claire said while twirling her finger around in the foam of her Guinness.

"Speaking of man-candy," Hayley said eyeing her, "where is yours?"

Claire laughed, "Oh, Spence found some old Trekie buddies, so I let him off to play." Her face turned mock serious, "He knows when to come home though."The women laughed together as Hayley spun onto the dance floor by Hotch so they could "show Morgan how it was done."

Claire Montgomery and Spencer Reid had been dating for about a year now. They had met at the BAU when she had brought in a painting that BAU Chief Erin Strauss had bought from her.

_~~ FLASHBACK ~~_

_"Damnit," Claire whispered as the large painting slipped from her hands and onto the floor chipping the corner of the painting's frame. Normally, she wouldn't ever frame her paintings. She felt that a flashy frame took away the splendor of the piece. But, Chief Strauss was her first high profile client and Claire wasn't about to say "no" to a special request. She bent down to pick up the broken piece and fumbled for her spare tube of super glue in the pocket of her paint-stained jeans only to find her pockets empty._

_"Ah fudge bucket!" Claire cursed._

_"Excuse me?" a voice said._

_Claire looked up to find a lean young man standing in front of her clutching a cup of coffee. "Oh," she blushed, "Uh, yeah . . . sorry." She picked herself off the floor and slid the painting under her arm. "Yeah, "fudge bucket" just something I say whenever I am in a public place and have the need to curse."_

_"Interesting," the young man said with a puzzled look on his face. "What would cause the need for curse other than you dropped something on the floor?" _

_"Well, I am delivering this painting to Chief Strauss and it slipped and dropped onto the floor," Claire said gesturing to the painting under her arm, "And this," she held up the corner of the frame, "broke off and I don't have my emergency bottle of super glue to fix it."_

_"Ah," the young man nodded. "When is the painting supposed to be delivered to her?"_

_"Uh," Claire glanced at her vintage Mickey Mouse watch, "ten minutes?" she grimaced. _

_The young man cleared his throat, "I think I may be able to help you out." _

_"Could you?" Claire asked pushing her auburn bangs behind her ear._

_"Sure, follow me." The young man quickly turned around and walked down the hallway._

_"Uh," Claire stammered as she raced to keep up with him. "If you could help me fix this, I will so owe you."_

_"Don't worry about it," the man said turning to acknowledge her. Claire couldn't help but notice that his eyes were the softest brown she had ever seen but there was something else there lying in their depths. Was it sadness? Regret? She didn't have time to be certain before he turned his gaze down the hallway again. _

_"I'm sorry. I don't believe I got your name." Claire said trying to get him to look at her again. _

_"Uhmm, I am S.A. Dr. Spencer Reid," he answered not looking at her. _

_Claire was baffled at the title. "Aren't you a little young to be a doctor?" she asked._

_"Ph.D.s," Spencer said turning the corner. Baffled Claire stopped to get a better grip on the painting._

_"Huh," she said, "Interesting."_

_"How about you?" Spencer said as he stopped before a nondescript door and faced her. Claire tried again to discern what it was in his eyes that she saw. But, she found whatever she had seen was lost. Maybe she had just imagined it. _

_She shook her head. "Uh, Claire. Claire Montgomery."_

_"Nice to meet you." Spencer gave a small smile._

_"Same here," Claire said smiling back. Spencer turned and knocked on the door._

_"Enter, mortal!" called a voice from within. As Spencer opened the door, Claire was greeted by the sight of at least five desktop computer screens and two plasma screens on the walls plus a wall of white noise which could only be described as technology at work._

_"Wow," Claire whispered._

_A young blonde woman turned to face them. "Hey, Reid," she said then she noticed Claire. She turned to Reid and shook her head. "Oh, Reid, you don't want to use my techie cave as a nooky cave, do you?"_

_"What?" Spencer sputtered, "No." Claire blushed furiously. "She, uh, just needs to fix a picture frame for Strauss," Spencer said trying to compose himself._

_"JK, Reid, geez," the woman laughed. "Something pretty for the Madame?" she nodded towards a drawer as she stood up, "Look in there, Reid. There is bound to be one bottle in my junk drawer." She crossed to room and reached out to shake Claire's hand. "Sorry, if I embarrassed you. I am Penelope Garcia, my love."_

_"Claire Montgomery." She said as she shook Garcia's hand._

_"Well, it is nice to meet you, Claire Montgomery. It is not often that Spence here brings in a random woman for me to meet. Well actually not ever." Garcia giggled._

_"I –," Spencer started to protest but Garcia silenced him._

_"Shh, go on. Keep digging," she turned back to Claire. "So what brings you to the BAU?"_

_Claire smiled. Garcia reminded her a lot of her sister who never stopped talking. She placed the painting on the ground. "This actually," she announced._

_Garcia marveled at the oil painting. "Oh wow, that is absolutely brilliant. Did you?"_

_Claire nodded, "Yeah, it's not my normal style. A little cookie cutter. My usual style is a little more whimsical," she shrugged, "but Chief Strauss requested a landscape of The Hill so I gave her one." She stood back from the painting with Garcia to admire her work._

_"Maybe as a reminder of the political career she never had," Spencer remarked handing Claire a small bottle of super glue._

_"Thanks," Claire said and went to work on repairing the frame. _

_"Oh, Reid! Badmouthing the chieftess? Naughty, naughty!" Garcia scolded teasingly. Claire giggled. _

_"Just an observation," Reid defended._

_"Hey, what happens in the Techie Cave stays in the Techie Cave," Garcia pacified._

_Claire made sure the broken piece was firmly placed before standing up. "Okay, all fixed," she announced. She handed the bottle back to Garcia. "Thank you so much," she said._

_"No prob, chica. Hey I'd love a few prints for my apartment. Is there any way I can look you up?" Garcia asked._

_"Oh sure, here" Claire said drawing one of her business cards out of her back pocket. She picked up one of Garcia's many pink feather pens off her desk and scribbled something on the back of it. "Here is my card with my email on the back. Anytime time of day is good to contact me." She handed Garcia the card and picked up her painting._

_"Awesome," Garcia said. "Now, Reid, lead this young woman to the Madame's office. I have background checks to finish." Reid started to protest but Garcia silenced him once again. "I will give Gideon the case files." She plucked the files from Reid's other hand that wasn't holding his coffee and shooed them away with her free hand. "Go, you cannot keep the chieftess waiting. Bye now." Garcia shut her door._

_Claire laughed. "Ok, she is now my new favorite person."_

_Spencer gave a slight chuckle, "Shall we?" He gestured down the hall with his coffee. _

_"Oh, you don't have to," Claire said adjusting the paint from one arm to the other. "I am pretty sure I can find my way." She started to move down the opposite hall. _

_"Spencer," Garcia warned from inside the Techie Cave._

_"Trust me," Spencer said turning her in the right direction, "We should do what she says. She has cameras everywhere." He whispered. _

_"Spooky," said Claire looking around suspiciously. _

_

* * *

_

_Claire gave Spencer a thumbs up before she knocked on Chief Strauss's door._

_"Come in," a voice called from within. Claire opened the door. "Ah, Claire, right on time."_

_"Yes, ma'am," Claire said standing the painting up against a chair. "Here it is."_

_"Oh, it's perfect," Strauss cooed as she studied the painting. "Let me write your check." Strauss reached around her desk to pull her check book out of her purse. Claire eyed all of the Chief's accomplishments that she proudly hung on the wall. There were many of them. No achievement was too big or too small to be displayed in this office. "Did you find my office without difficulty?" Strauss asked Claire._

_"Yes ma'am," Claire answered, "with the help of Agent Reid." She motioned toward Spencer who was standing in the doorway. _

_"Ma'am," Spencer acknowledged. _

_"Ah, Agent Reid, how is your team's case coming along?" Strauss asked._

_"Slowly but surely," Spencer cleared his throat. "Garcia has a suspect pool and is running the names as we speak."_

_"Good, good, I may pay your unit chief a little visit later still," Strauss smiled to Spencer as she handed Claire her check. _

_Spencer shifted uncomfortably. "Always a pleasure, ma'am." _

_Strauss smiled and looked back to Claire. "Thank you so much for dropping it off."_

_"No problem," Claire smiled but she was somewhat puzzled over Spencer and Strauss's terse exchange. "Anytime. Enjoy it."_

_"I will," Strauss said. Looking back at the painting, she cocked her head. "I think I will take the frame off though . . ." she mused then turned back to her desk._

_It was an obvious sign that they were dismissed but Claire looked to Spencer just to make sur., He nodded and she quickly followed him out and into the hallway._

_"What was that?" Claire asked when they were a safe distance away from Strauss's open door. _

_"What?" asked Spencer who seemed wrapped up in his own thoughts._

_"The whole 'oh well, you're investigation is going well but I am gonna pay you a visit anyway.' I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"_

_"That? Oh no, you didn't. If anything, I can give Hotch a heads up so he'll be prepared."_

_"Oh okay," Claire said tucking her bangs behind her ear. When they reached the elevators, they stood in silence for a moment neither knowing what to say._

_"It was nice—,"_

_"Well, thank-," _

_They both started at the same time._

_Claire laughed nervously, "Go ahead."_

_Spencer cleared his throat, "It was nice meeting you." He reached out to shake her hand. _

_"Same here," Claire smiled taking it. "Thanks for helping me, I still owe you."_

_Spencer shook his head, "Oh no, it's okay."_

_"Nothing fancy, wonder boy," Claire laughed and pulled out her card. "Coffee, Friday? I know this great new place with live acoustic music." She wrote down the address of the coffee shop on the back of the card. Spencer looked at her slightly shocked. "C'mon it's the least I can do," she urged. "Giving your boss the heads up that his boss is going to pay a visit doesn't count."_

_Spencer shook his head as if he were trying to wake himself up from a dream. He nervously cleared his throat. "Sure," he stammered. Clumsily he fished one of his business cards out of his pocket and exchanged his for hers. Claire smiled. The elevator door dinged as the metal doors slipped open._

_Claire stepped inside. "So eight o'clock Friday night?" she said as she pushed the first floor button._

_"Eight sounds good," nodded Spencer. He still could not believe this had happened to a guy like himself. _

_"Cool," Claire smiled as the metal door shut. _

_~~ END FLASHBACK ~~_

They went and had coffee that Friday and both agreed that the band playing that night was awful. And even though the same band played every Friday night after, Claire and Spencer still had coffee there every week, except when Spencer was consulting a case. They talked about many different subjects. But mostly, Claire would let him know about ideas she had for various art projects and he in turn would tell her a little about the cases the team was working on and if he needed a pair of fresh eyes to look at it from a new angle. The coffee shop became their special place and their relationship took off from there.

"Ah, good no one touched my spot," Garcia said.

"No one would dare with you around, dear," Claire giggled, "They are too afraid of what you could do with that computer if yours."

"As they should be," Garcia nodded as she watched Morgan dance toward her.

"C'mon baby-girl, you know you can't resist," Morgan teased and offered his hand.

Garcia blushed, "I prefer to watch." She nervously sipped her drink and looked away from him.

"All right," Morgan shrugged and turned toward Claire. "C'mon Red," he waved his hand in a "come and get me" gesture.

She looked at Garcia who gave her a mild "stay away from my man-candy" glare but Claire shrugged and took Morgan's hand. "Okay, Thunder, let's go," she said.

"Oh no, you did not just do that!" Garcia gasped.

Claire laughed and stuck out her tongue.

"You snooze. You lose, baby-girl."Morgan said. Garcia pouted. "But you are still my best girl," winked Morgan.

"Hey!" Claire playfully swatted Morgan's arm.

Garcia smiled then gave Claire the "I am watching you gesture".

"Did I just tempt fate?" Claire said in Morgan's ear over the pounding music.

"Eh, she harmless," Morgan yelled. "She likes you too much to do anything too bad."

Claire's eyes widened. "Too bad?" she squeaked.

"Maybe block you from the internet," Morgan shrugged.

"She wouldn't dare. She knows I use Skype as much as she does." Claire looked back at Garcia who was still giving her the mock evil-eye.

Morgan chuckled. "I'll make it up to her."

Claire eyed him. "Nooky?" she smiled playfully.

"Hey, don't make me pick a new dance partner," Morgan warned her playfully.

"Who in here could be a better dance partner than me?" she said cheekily.

Morgan just laughed as he spun her around the dance floor. Several dips, spins and grinding later, Morgan had finally decided that they had showed up Hotch and Haley and spun Claire into Spencer's unsuspecting lap.

"Oh hi," Claire laughed giddy from all the spinning.

"Hello there," Spencer chuckled. His arms slipped around her waist. "Morgan didn't give you any rum, did he?"

Claire laughed, "Nope, but with the way he dances he can make anyone drunk." She waved to Morgan who was dancing with another random girl while making his way across the dance floor to Penelope who was tapping her foot impatiently. He smiled and gave her a chin-up gesture. "He's a player though, not my type." She sighed.

"Good," Spencer said kissing her forehead, "because, you are taken."

"Yeap," Claire sighed looking forlornly back at Morgan who was doing some serious Garcia butt-kissing. "That's too bad."

"Hey," Spencer tickled her sides relentlessly. She squealed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"Okay, okay, okay, I cave! I cave!" she squeaked out between her peals of laughter. Spencer kissed her soundly. Claire felt a warm tingle rise from her toes and melting her heart. "Mmm," she smiled snuggling against him. Guinness and Spencer's kissing always made her sleepy. "That was a good game wasn't it?"

"What game?" Spencer asked.

"The Super Bowl game, what else?"

"Eh, I didn't pay attention." He shrugged taking a swig from his Bud.

"Dr. Reid, one of these days, I am going to sit you down and teach you the ways of football."

Spencer nodded and moved to take another sip of his beer. "When pigs fly," he murmured.

Claire snatched the bottle away and took a swig. "What was that?"

"I said, when you say the time?" Spencer shrugged taking his beer back.

"That's what I thought," she said. "You are as smart as your IQ says."

"The IQ tests are quite accurate."

"Hush up." Claire kissed him again. "Have I told you how much geniuses turn me on?" she smiled snuggling into his neck. She loved the way he smelled: coffee, old spice, and books. She wished she had a bottle of cologne of his scent to spray onto his old oxford shirts she wore to bed whenever they started to lose his scent.

"While your clothes were on or off?" Spencer asked wiggling his eyebrows. Claire quickly covered his mouth with her hand and buried her face in the crook of his neck to hide the blush that was creeping up her neck. Since they had started dating Spencer had gradually come out of his shell and grown more confident around her. Claire knew that Spencer's father had left when his was eight and his mother was somewhat distant because of her illness and because of that Spencer was afraid to let anybody in and afraid to show too much of himself. There had been a lot of fights and heart-to-hearts between them before they could get to where they were at that moment. Spencer chuckled as he peppered kisses along her sensitive earlobe to draw her out of her hiding place. She squeaked and jerked her head away from his soft lips.

"Meh!" Claire cringed. "You know I am ticklish right there!"

"That was the point," Spencer said, "so I can do this." He cupped her face and gently gave her a lingering kiss. Claire melted into his arms and twirled her arms around his neck. He tightened his hold on her waist. A few catcalls and a long wolf whistle came from the dance floor. Claire knew it was Morgan so give him a rather rude gesture involving one of her fingers.

"Is that a promise or a demand?" called Morgan. Reid responded with a gesture like hers never breaking his and Claire's kiss. Morgan laughed again. "A threesome?" Garcia smacked him on the back of the head. "Ow, woman!" Morgan flinched and rubbed the back of his head. Satisfied with the way Penelope had intervened, Claire lowered her finger and moved it back to threading it through Spencer's long brown hair.

Someone nearby cleared their throat. "As much I hate to break things up…" It was JJ. She wiggled her phone. "We have been summoned."

"Really?" Morgan huffed.

"Yes, really, all other teams are elsewhere." JJ shrugged.

Garcia pouted. "I guess we all had to turn back into pumpkins sometime,"

"Hey," Claire protested.

"Except you and Haley, my dear," Garcia looked from her to Haley. "You can go home and sleep."

"Without our man-candy," Claire murmured. Haley nodded her agreement as Hotch slipped his arm around her waist. Spencer looked at her guiltily. "But you have to do what you have to do," she smiled and ruffled his hair. She didn't necessarily like it when Spencer had to go away. But, she understood it was a part of his job. Usually she tried to hide the fact of how much his going away scared her, knowing he could get hurt or…no, she didn't want to think of that. But he was a good profiler and could see through any mask she tried to put on. She stood up and brought him with her then followed the others out the door.

"Claire," Spencer began as they reached her car.

"Spencer, it's okay. I had a good time tonight. I know the demands of your job; I spend half my time with Garcia while you are away," Claire said struggling to keep her voice stable. Something was going to change on this case; an uneasy feeling was growing in her gut. She had never had this feeling before. But she smiled anyway. "Just focus on the case and nail down a profile really quick so you can come home." She wound her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"We can pick up where we left off," Spencer suggested with a mix of relief and eagerness in his voice.

Claire laughed and kissed him chastely. "Maybe…" she teased and kissed him again.

Spencer deepened the kiss and the battle for dominance ensued but was cut off as Morgan whistled, "Yo, Lover-boy! You coming?"

"Go now my dear," she murmured in between kissing. She playfully pushed him towards the Bureau SUV Morgan was leaning up against. "Be free. And call me tomorrow."

Spencer nodded and lifted her hands to his lips. "I love you," he whispered.

Claire smiled. "Ditto."

Spencer walked away holding her hand until it slipped away from him.

She watched him climb into the passenger seat. "Hey Derek!" she called out. "Make sure my love gets some caffeine in him before you brief the case!"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Morgan called out as he drove the car out of the parking lot and down the road.

Claire waved until they were out of sight then pulled her arms around herself. She hadn't even heard the details of the case and already she had a sense of foreboding. Maybe it was just PMS or hormones or something. She stared out at the dark highway and a chill ran over her spine. Yep, definitely hormones.

* * *

Claire mostly spent her days online when Spencer was away and when she wasn't painting. Today she was searching for a screen cap from a scene in Swan Princess. She love the animation in that movie and always thought it would be fun to animate movies for a living even though Spencer told her the process for animating movies was long and difficult. She didn't think she would mind though. She liked a challenge.

Her computer dinged as it opened a new chat with one of her best friends from high school. They had kept in touch over the past few years. Recently he was going through a divorce. He had gotten married right after high school and things hadn't turned out the way he had planned. So his messages and phone calls were becoming more frequent as he came crawling back to her. She hadn't yet told him that she was seeing someone. It seemed too cruel to share her happiness with someone who had just lost his.

"Hey, Claire! Check out this new vid!" The message read complete with a link at the bottom. "This is going to be the next big horror flick!"

He knew her too well. She liked a good scare. She clicked on the link and was directed to a video sharing site. The headline read "It's Not Too Late! Raphael's Punishment Has Begun!"

"That is a long ass movie title," Claire said to herself as the featured video began to play. The camera angle was weird and didn't move from its spot. She watched as a slight figure in dark clothing snuck behind another and proceeded to cut his throat, arm then leg. The camera angle didn't change and neither did the lighting as it did most of the time during horror films and the room wasn't dark either. The filmmaker wanted you to see everything. A woman screamed from off camera. The figured moved towards the voice and screaming was silenced.

Something about the video unnerved Claire. She wrote back to her friend. "Where did you get this?"

"It was a viral video sent to me by email. Isn't it awesome?"

Claire wasn't so sure about awesome. To her the movie or whatever was disgusting, repulsive, and so not horror film marketing. This seemed like it carried a message with it.

"I don't know." She wrote back. "I gotta go. Later." She logged out of the instant messaging software. She had to call Garcia.

* * *

_Brrrrriiinnnnggggg!_

The telephone rang loud and clear over the noise of her computers as the caller ID popped up on Penelope Garcia's screen. She punched the answer button with her pen.

"Oui my lovely Clarisse, what's happening? She said.

"Hey, Penny, listen, can you check something out for me?" Claire asked.

"Claire, I am sure Spencer and the others are fine," Garcia soothed having already been through this with her the night before.

Claire cut her off. "No, Penelope, it's something else."

"Oh, what is it?" Garcia asked.

"Okay, my friend sent me a viral video of what he thinks is marketing for a horror film."

"And?"

"I don't think it is. The camera angle and the lighting is all wrong. You would think it was one of Dawson Leery's 'innovative' horror flicks. But the content itself is unnerving. Do you think you or one of the other techs could take a look at it?"

Garcia frowned she didn't like the way her friend's voice sounded. "Of course, my dear, send me the link." Another window popped on her screen. "One new message!" She clicked on it. Her email provider popped open. The message title read "This new horror film with be effin amazing!" She clicked the link provided.

"Never mind, I think someone just sent it to me."

"Is it a video sharing website?"

"Uh huh," Garcia said as the video began to play. "The one with the burgundy settee against the wall with a creepy guy wearing a hoodie and – oh my god!" Garcia quickly turned her head away and focused on the cute fuzzy yellow bobble-bird Claire had given her for her birthday.

"Yeah, that one. Sorry, dear." Claire apologized.

"It's okay, love" Garcia looked back at the video again. It looked like the crime scene the team was supposed to be at. "Oh no," Garcia breathed.

"What?" Claire asked worriedly.

"It's nothing dear." Garcia said shakily.

"Garcia," pushed Claire.

"It looks like the crime scene the team is supposed to be at," Garcia said softly. She heard Claire take a sharp intake of breath.

"Are you sure?"

"I am not positive; I need to call Derek. I'll call you later."

"No, no," breathed Claire. "I don't want to know."

"Are you going to be okay?" Garcia asked.

"I think so," Claire said shakily. "Uhmm, I gotta go." The phone clicked off.

* * *

Claire ran to the bathroom straight to the toilet and threw up her morning coffee and last night's drinks. She was sure that Garcia was lying when she said she didn't know that was the team's crime scene or not. She flushed the toilet and brushed her teeth. She made sure to erase her internet history so she would never come across that website or video ever again.

* * *

"_If tomorrow never comes, I want you to know right now that I…I'm gonna love you until the day I die. And if –"_

Claire picked up her phone mid-ring. "Hello."

"Hey, love."

"Spencer, how are you?" she breathed.

"I'm fine, babe. What's wrong?" Spencer asked. He detected a twinge of fear in her voice.

"It's nothing really. I'm just a little more worried than usual, that's all. What are you doing?"

"I am here with JJ," Spencer said.

"Hey, Claire!" called JJ.

"Hey Jayje." Claire chuckled.

"Yeah, we are going to ask a possible witness a few questions," Spencer said. "I was just calling to check up on you. I know you were the one who tipped Garcia off about the viral videos. I am really sorry you had to see that."

Claire brushed her hair out of her eyes with a paint-stained hand. "It's okay. You can thank, Xander for that one."

"The really skeevy, pervy one?" asked Spencer.

Claire laughed, "I thought you would have more intelligent adjectives in your vocabulary, Dr. Reid."

"Well, those seemed like the best ones to describe him," Spencer said.

"Oh, he's harmless, Spencer. He knows where mine and his relationship stands. He's known since high school."

"I know. I am probably going to lose you in a minute." Spencer said.

"We are entering the middle of BFE!" laughed JJ

"I was just calling to make sure you were all right," Spencer said.

"I'm fine, love. Be safe. I love you." Claire said.

"Ditto. I'll call you tonight." Spencer promised.

"I'll make sure JJ holds you too it." Claire said laughing. "Bye."

"Bye," Spencer said.

Claire clicked off the phone. She was glad Spencer had called her. But she was sure the uneasy feeling in her gut wouldn't leave until he was back home in her arms.

* * *

**So we like? Yesh? Lemme know?**

**Always, LLLimwen**

**P.S. Did any pick up on the _Dawson's Creek _reference?**


	2. Part Two

**Okay, So I am making this a three-shot. It was just getting too long. But I hope you like this part. Epic music really helps while I am writing. I had_ The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring _soundtrack on repeat while writing this. "The Theme for Aragorn and Arwen" was especially helpful when writing another flashback sequence between Spencer and Claire. Also last time I forgot to put a disclaimer on here so here is one right now:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CM or any of the characters. They are just my playthings.**

* * *

"_**And once, or twice, to throw the dice**_

_**Is a gentlemanly game, **_

_**But he does not win who plays with Sin**_

_**In the secret House of Shame."**_

_**~ Oscar Wilde, "The Ballad of Reading Gaol"**_

* * *

Claire left her phone's ringer on high so no matter what she was doing she would hear it. She had skipped on the opportunity to have a land line because why pay for the service every month if she wasn't going to use it? She had no idea when Spencer was going to call he just simply said that night. He could call her an hour from now or in the wee hours of the morning. She didn't him waking her up especially if it was a particularly hard case that didn't leave him much time to talk until he was in his hotel room for the night. She was secretly hoping that when he would call her they would have caught the sick bastard they were looking for and then come home.

She went through her nightly routine quicker than usual. She was in and out of the shower in 10 minutes cutting her usual shower time by 30 minutes. She even neglected watching her favorite crime show that Spencer said was totally inaccurate. She curled up on her couch with a book and checked her phone for the nth time that night. Nothing. And it was only 8:30 pm. Claire sighed and slumped further into the couch. "_What would Spencer do?" _she thought.

Sometimes when she had been to a gallery opening, she wouldn't get home until the wee hours of the morning. Often, she would find Spencer lying on the on her couch reading one of the many tomes he kept in his briefcase. He was always reading something to do with psychology, technology or European philosophy that most of the time was not in English. She would kick off her heels by the door and cuddle up next to him listening as he read aloud to her. Eventually her head would fall into his lap and she would fall asleep as his fingers stroked her hair. She kept telling him that he needed to record an audio-book even if it was just for her.

She sat up and pulled one of the many books Reid left at her house off the coffee table. She flipped to the title page, _Remembrances of Things Past_ by Marcel Proust. She didn't remember this one. Then again she had probably already gone to sleep if he read it to her before. She snuggled down into the couch and flipped to a random page and began to read.

"_The smell of the Madeline unleashing the flood of memory. For a long time, I used to go to bed early. Sometimes, when I put out my candle, my eyes would close so quickly that I had not even time to say to myself, "I am falling asleep…." _

_

* * *

_

"_**IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES I WANT YOU TO KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT I, I'M GONNA LOVE YOU UNITL THE DAY I DIE! AND IF TOMORROW FALLS ASLEEP, CAN YOU HOLD ME FIRST? I'M GONNA LOVE YOU LIKE IT'S THE LAST NIGHT ON EARTH!"**_

Claire jolted awake and the book slid to the floor as she blearily reached for her phone. She fumbled with the answer button. "Spence?" she asked. All she heard was rustling in the background. "Spencer?" she called louder. Then a voice.

_"I could have stopped them by myself!"_

"Spencer what's going on?" Claire pleaded.

_"I tried to warn everyone!"_ the voice said.

_"Just relax, Mr. Hankel."_ Spencer voice panted.

Claire sighed in relief, "Spencer, I am so glad you called. I—"

_"SHOOT HIM!"_ a different voice said. Claire froze.

_"I don't want to!" _the first voice pleaded.

_"I said shoot him, you weakling, he is a Satan!" _the second voice hissed.

"Spencer?" Claire squeaked. She was shaking.

_"He didn't do anything!" _the first voice quivered.

_"I won't tell you another time boy. SHOOT HIM!"_ the second voice roared. There was more rustling on the other end. A thud and a gasp of pain with quick succession. Then the rustling stopped. A moment of silence and then voices.

_"Oh, now what do we do? What do we do?"_ It was the first voice. Claire was frozen as tears spilled over onto her cheeks. She listened as there was more rustling and the sound of something being dragged. Something cracked and then the line went dead.

"Spencer! Spencer?" she cried she listened to the dial tone.

She had to call the team.

She dialed JJ's number.

Straight to voice mail.

"Crap," Claire cursed.

She dialed Hotch's number.

No answer.

"Damnit!"

Emily's and Morgan's were both no answers.

"Fuck!"

She called Gideon.

It was ringing. "Please, please, please pick up." She said angrily, "If you don't pick up, I swear. I will call Chief Strauss if have to. I—"

"Gideon," a voice answered.

"Oh, thank God!" she cried. "Jason, it's Claire!"

"Claire, I am kinda in the middle of something and I am about to lose cell phone service, can I call you later?" The last of whatever control Claire had a hold of slipped away as she exploded.

"No! god fucking damnit, listen to me! I have been trying to get a hold of one of you for the past ten minutes! Where is Spencer!"

"Calm down, Claire. He is at a possible suspect's house with JJ. He—"

"Jason," she pleaded, "he just called me. I think something horrible has happened to him. I think he might be…" she trailed off as a wave of sobbing overcame her.

"Wait, wait, calm down, what?"

"He called me. He said he would call me later tonight so I was waiting for him to call. I guess something pressed a button on his speed dial and it called me. I heard these two voices arguing on whether or not to shoot him and then there was a struggle and then the line went dead." She said between hiccups.

"You said you heard two voices?" Gideon asked.

"Yes, one sounded scared and the other sounded authoritative." she stood up and began to pace.

"What else?" pressed Gideon.

"Spencer sounded out of breath. There was rustling like leaves or something. Jason, what do you think is happening?"

"I don't know, Claire. Did you hear anything about JJ?"

"No," she stopped. "You don't think they got her too?" she breathed.

"I don't know…"

They were silent for a moment. Claire heard sirens in the background. "Drive fast, Jason. Find him. Please." Claire whispered.

"We will," he consoled her. "I'll call when we have more news." The phone clicked off. Claire listened to the dial tone for a moment before clicking it off. She sank to the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not to Spencer. She looked at Spencer's book that fallen on the floor.

* * *

_~FLASHBACK~_

_"I cannot exist without you - I am forgetful of everything but seeing you again - my Life seems to stop there - I see no further. You have absorb'd me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving... I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion - I have shudder'd at it - I shudder no more - I could be martyr'd for my Religion - Love is my religion - I could die for that - I could die for you. My creed is Love and you are its only tenet - You have ravish'd me away by a Power I cannot resist." Claire read out loud from her worn collection of John Keats's writings as Spencer pulled on his slacks. It was a rainy Sunday afternoon and they had decided to take an easy day until their stomachs voiced their hunger. "How is it that a man write something like this?" she wondered aloud._

"_He sounds a little melodramatic," commented Spencer._

"_But he was dying!" gasped Claire, "I think he has the right to be melodramatic."_

"_I know, but if you are dying why write how you feel when you can show it to whomever you love instead?"_

"_So you always have a piece of them," Claire replied simply._

"_Memories last a lifetime," Spencer whispered as he climbed into bed beside her._

"_I believe that is the first non-statistical, non-practical thing I have ever heard you say, Dr. Reid." Claire teased and scooted away from him. _

_Reid chuckled and pulled her into his arms. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "I cannot exist without you," he whispered. He pressed his lips against her temple. "I am forgetful of everything but seeing you again." He kissed her cheek. "My life seems to stop there- I see no further." He kissed her nose. "You have absorbed me." He kissed her fingers. "I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving." He brushed his lips on the back of her hand. "I have been astonished that men could die Martyrs for religion."He peppered kisses along her earlobe. "I have shuddered at it- I shuddered no more."He kissed down her jaw line. "I could be martyred for my Religion." He kissed her neck. "Love is my religion-I could die for that." He ran his lips along her collarbone. "I could die for you." He gently unbuttoned her oxford shirt that really was his and kissed her chest where her heart was. "My creed is Love and you are its only tenet." He gently kissed her lips. "You have ravish'd me away by a Power I cannot resist." _

_Claire smiled and pushed a stray hair out of his face. "Have I told you how much I love your eidetic memory?" She asked kissing him again. _

"_When you are wearing my shirt?" asked Spencer. "All the time my dear, all the time." He kissed her again and pulled her under him and their would-be errand was soon forgotten._

_~END FLASHBACK~_

* * *

Claire shook her head. If she didn't do something, she was going to explode. She stood up and looked out the window. The sky was growing lighter with the approaching dawn. She had to get down there. She couldn't stay here and do nothing. As she was walking to her computer to book a plane ticket to Atlanta her phone rang. Her stomach clinched.

"Hello," she answered shakily.

"Hey, Claire, it's JJ."

"Have you found him?"

"No we haven't but there is no sign that he is…"

Claire swallowed. "That's good."

"I am really sorry, Claire." JJ said.

Tears threatened to spill over again. Claire looked directly at her desk lamp sometimes looking directly at something would help her regain her focus. "I'm fine, Jayje." Her voice cracked.

"I told him we shouldn't spilt up," JJ started.

"JJ, it's okay," Claire cut her off as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "So where should I meet you guys?"

"What?" JJ asked.

"You didn't think I was just going to sit here, did you? Hell no."

"Claire, there isn't much you can do around here."

"I don't give a shit. I love Spencer. I want to be there when you find him."

"Claire-"

"Put Hotch on the phone, JJ"

JJ sighed, "All right."

"Hotch here," Hotch answered.

"I am coming down there, Aaron."

"Claire, I understand how you feel. But there is really nothing you can do."

"I don't care. I want to be down there when you find him. And you will find him."

"You don't have to prove you love him by being down here and experiencing this. I know that Hayley would like to be there and see me at times like this but she can't."

"Hayley has to take care of Jack! And I am nothing like Hayley! I don't have to prove myself. Spencer knows I love him! All I care about is his safety and I can't stay up here living my regular life while he isn't."

Hotch was silent for a moment. "All the same," he said, "I strongly suggest you stay in Quantico. You would just be in the way down here." And with that he hung up the phone.

Claire threw her phone down in frustration and then clicked the "book flight" button on her computer. "To hell with that!"

* * *

Emily looked at Hotch as a scowl formed on his face. "That was Claire, huh?"

Hotch nodded.

"I take it you told her to stay in D.C.?" Emily said sorting out Hankel's and his father's journals into separate piles.

"Yes, and she wasn't happy with it." Hotch sighed.

"Of course she isn't happy with it," Gideon said flipping through a journal. "She loves him."

"She is going to come down here anyway" Garcia called from Hankel's computer room.

JJ nodded. "She is right, Hotch. Claire does what she wants when she wants especially."

"Should I just go and get her?" Morgan asked. Hotch sighed and looked to Gideon.

"Hurry back," Gideon said.

* * *

Claire blinked in Atlanta's late afternoon sunlight. Even with winter approaching, the sunlight still blazed down. She was suddenly reminded how much she hated to south and its almost tropical climate. She picked up a rental car and drove to Atlanta's FBI field office. So what if the team was surprised. She didn't care.

She put on her sunglasses and did her best to try and look official as she stepped into the surprisingly small building.

"Can I help you?" the woman at the front desk asked

"Yes, I am looking for the BAU team lead by SSA Hotchner. I was sent down here to help him with hostage negotiations." Claire answered using all of the FBI jargon she knew. The lady looked at her in disbelief. "I could call him for you, if you wanted." Claire said pulling out her cell phone.

"You know impersonating an officer is a federal offense." A voice said behind her. Claire stiffened. "Of course, you could probably get off with a warning though, Red."

"Morgan," Claire said turning to face him.

"Hey, baby girl."

Claire ran and hugged him. She felt Morgan making a gesture with his hand as if to say "disregard what she said she is just a hysterical young woman who is crazy in love".

"Have they—"

Morgan put his fingers to her lips. "Come with me. I'll take you to the team." He led her out to one the federal SUV which Claire had dubbed the "I'm a Badass, Don't Fuck with Me" car.

Claire climbed into the passenger side then turned to face Morgan. "Well?"

"Seat-belt," Morgan said pointing to the safety restraint behind her.

"Screw the seat-belt, Morgan. We aren't even moving. Now tell me have you found him yet?"

Morgan sighed and looked at the steering wheel. "No."

Claire tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat. "Is he still…"

"We never assume otherwise unless we have reason too. And so far we don't have such a reason."

Claire nodded and turned to put her seat-belt on as Morgan started the car. "What about my rental?" she asked as they pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the highway.

"I send someone from the field office to bring it back." Morgan said.

Claire nodded then faced the window. After ten minutes of silence she softly asked, "Morgan, what exactly did this person do to warrant the BAU team to come down here?"

"Claire, I don't see why you have to know." Morgan said.

"Because I want to know what Spencer is up against," Claire said.

"That's not a good reason," replied Morgan.

"I can just get Gideon or JJ to tell me then." Claire said

"You may not like what you here," Morgan said.

"No Morgan," Claire turned to face him again, "I don't _like_ my coffee black. I don't _like_ rap music. I don't _like _D.C. traffic. I don't _like _the fact that my boyfriend is out of town almost every week risking his neck. I _hate_ when someone I love is in trouble. And I _hate_ it when I don't know the whole story because if I don't it means I am unfit to help them. See the difference? It isn't about me liking it or disliking it. It is about making sure the person I love makes it out with as few emotional and physical scars as possible."

Morgan sighed, "I know but I am not going to tell you alone."

Claire was silent. He didn't say an outright "no" just that he wouldn't tell her until the rest of the team was around. She sighed and looked at the scenery passing by. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"Hotch said that if we are going to find where Hankel has taken Reid, we will find the answer at his house. So we made that our temporary field office," Morgan said.

"So the unsub's name is Hankel?" Claire asked.

"Yes, Tobias Hankel."

"And we are going to his house?"

"Yes, Red," Morgan said. Claire shuddered inwardly. Staying at a killer's house was just going to be way too creepy. "Get some rest we still have an hour before we get there; you aren't going to sleep well in that house anyway."

Claire leaned the seat back and feigned sleep until they arrived at Hankel's house.

* * *

Hotch was outside the house waiting for them. "Nothing changed?" asked Morgan locking the car. Hotch shook his head and looked at Claire.

Claire shifted uncomfortably. "Hey, Aaron," she said meekly. Hotch nodded to her and looked to Morgan again. "Morgan, can you go and help Emily look through Tobias's room?" he asked.

Morgan nodded and looked at Claire. "I will be inside, Red."

Claire wanted to plead with him not to leave her alone with Hotch but she knew that wouldn't help matters.

"And send Gideon out here, will you?" asked Hotch as Morgan made his way up the porch steps.

"Sure," said Morgan as he disappeared into the house.

Hotch turned back to her. Claire stiffened like she did when she was a kid in preparing for a severe scolding.

"Plane ride, okay?" he asked her.

"Excuse me?" Claire asked.

"Was your plane ride, okay?" Hotch repeated. "No delays or anything?"

Claire was taken aback. "Yeah, fine. It was fine," she stammered. She had seen Hotch mad before and had been told by Spencer that if someone defied what he said he would go section eight. She was surprised that the tone seemed so calm almost concerned instead of the steel edge it usually had when he was pissed. She looked behind Hotch to notice Gideon coming down the steps.

"Ah, you are here." Gideon said acknowledging her.

"Hello, Jason," she said. He smiled at her.

"C'mon, let's sit on the porch," he said.

"You aren't going to try and make me go back to Quantico, are you?" Claire said apprehensively.

Hotch shook his head. "No, Claire. We understand that you don't work for the BAU and that we have no authority telling you what to do. But we know that you probably know Reid better than any of us even though we've worked with him for several years," he said.

"Think of yourself as a consultant," Gideon said putting his arm around her and leading her up the steps.

Claire nodded, "Okay."

"You must have a lot of questions," Gideon said sitting in a rusted lawn chair.

"Morgan wouldn't tell me much," Claire said annoyed. She pulled a stool with a ripped seat next to Gideon.

"He knew that we would be the best one to explain it to you," Hotch said leaning against the porch railing.

"Oh, okay," said Claire. "So we are at Tobias Hankel's house?"

"Yes," Hotch said.

"And Tobias Hankel is the unsub?" she asked.

"Yes," Gideon answered.

"But if he was the unsub, why did you let JJ and Spencer come out here alone?" she implored.

"We didn't know it at the time I sent them here," said Hotch. "We thought he was a witness. Turns out, he had used the supposed incident he had reported to gauge police response time."

"Why would he need to have gauged the response time?" Claire asked. Hotch sighed and looked at Gideon. "If I am going to be a consultant or whatever I need to know what Hankel has done," she huffed bitterly.

Gideon sighed and fiddled with his reading glasses. "Tobias Hankel is perverting God to justify all of his killings. So far he has killed four people. He makes 911 calls before each killing and leaves behind a bible passage. We now know that he had commandeered people's webcams when they called for tech support and watched them 24 hours a day waiting for them to commit what he would call a sin once they had done this, he had his justification." Claire felt the hair rise on her arms but didn't show how much Gideon's descriptions bothered her. "Then he posts videos of the murders online as you discovered."

"Never again will I open a viral video." Claire said shaking her head. "But you are only talking about, Hankel. What about that other voice I heard on the phone?"

"We are under the impression that Hankel may have dissociative identity disorder," Hotch said.

"Multiple personalities?" Claire asked in disbelief.

Hotch nodded. "We think he may have two, possibly three."

"So which "person" is doing the killing?" asked Claire.

"That we don't know yet" Gideon answered which is why we have Prentiss and Morgan going over Hankel's and his father's journals and then Garcia is trying to figure out his computer system."

"So he kills people, but why did he take Spencer? Spencer hates computers the only reason he has one is so he can video chat with me. But he reads so many technical books he could always fix his computer himself. So why him?" Claire asked. She felt her throat closing up as it always did before she was about to cry.

"We don't know," Gideon said softly. "But we hope to find out."

"WHERE IS SHE?" cried a voice from inside the house. "Morgan, why did you tell me she was here the moment you got here?"

Claire smiled a little. "She is out here, Garcia," called Hotch. The front door was flung open and Garcia's plump figure was shadowed by the light behind it.

"Oh my dear," Garcia said crossing the porch and pulling her friend into a hug.

"Hey, Pen, what's the sitch?" Claire said using Penelope's favorite cartoon character's catch-phrase. Garcia gave a slight chuckle.

"We have a problem, KP," she countered rubbing her friend's back. "Are you okay?"

"As I will ever be," Claire said with a slight sniffle

"We are going get wonder-boy home, girl. I promise." Garcia whispered with a tight squeeze then drew back.

"Nothing new," she said to Hotch. He nodded.

"C'mon girl," Garcia said holding out her hand to Claire. "Let's get you a place set up with me. I made Morgan go buy some air mattress just in case anyone needs to sleep because I doubt any of us want to sleep in beds ridden with bed-bugs."

Claire smiled. _Same old Penelope._

* * *

"I'm not weak," Spencer murmured groggily. "I'm not weak." His mind was cloudy and the room spun as he opened his eyes. What had Tobias given him? It must have been some kind of depressant. He looked around the room and flinched back when he saw Tobias's face close to his with the drugs still in his system Tobias's face looked more like three faces.

"I don't give a damn whether you are weak or strong," Tobias's faces said. It wasn't Tobias's voice. It was his father's. "Yell all you want, boy. Ain't no one can hear you where you are." Tobias's multiple faces lifted toward the ceiling and yelled at the top of their lungs. "See?" they said "No one can hear you."

"I'm not weak," Spencer said still within the remnants of his dream.

"Well let's just see how weak you are?" Tobias's father said. He backhanded Spencer across the face. "Just how weak are you?" He bellowed hitting Spencer again.

"Not weak," Spencer murmured. This enraged his captor. Tobias punched him in the stomach then in the face with so much force that Spencer's lip split open.

"Yell out boy! Yell out for the Devil to help you! You are a devil!" Tobias yelled as he grabbed Spencer by the hair. "Scream boy!" he yelled in Spencer's face.

Spencer said nothing. A small voice in the back of his mind said, "No weakness, don't give in. That's what he wants." He pictured Claire smiling and laughing as they had their coffee dates. Claire dancing with Morgan and Garcia at the Super Bowl Party. Claire sitting in his lap stealing sips of his beer and his kisses as they watched JJ beat a few cocky frat boys at darts. The nights they had spent together. How she looked whenever he read her to sleep. "I'm not weak," he said.

Tobias yelled in rage then hit Spencer again with more force than before. Spencer felt his head rock back then his world went dark.

* * *

Claire sat on the air mattress twirling her phone in her hands. She didn't have service and the team had found that Spencer's phone was trashed but she was still hoping he would call…somehow. She sighed and picked up her sketchbook, her diary of sorts. She began to sketch Spencer's profile. The slight bump in his nose, his small chin, his slight widow's peak, everything that made him familiar to her. She had proceeded to sketch his elegant hands when she heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," she said still looking at the paper she wanted to finish the drawing. She felt that if she didn't keep drawing him, she would forget what he looked like.

"Hey," called a soft voice from the doorway. Claire looked up. It was JJ carrying two cups of tea in her hands.

"Hey Jayje," Claire said. "Hang on let me finish this." JJ nodded and watched silently as Claire sketched the last of Spencer's nails and lines on his fingers.

"That's really good," JJ said.

"Thanks," Claire responded. She closed her sketchbook and placed it under the pillow.

"Here," JJ said offering her a mug. Claire accepted it wrapping her fingers around its warmth. She looked at JJ fully for the first time. Her shirt was torn and bloodied and there was a bandage on her arm. Her hair was messy and dirty. She looked like she had gotten into a scrap with someone.

"What happened?" she asked gesturing to the bandage. "You usually aren't one for violence."

"Oh," JJ said as if she was just noticing the bandage on her arm for the first time. "I got this when Reid and I came over here to talk with Hankel."

"He attacked you?" Claire asked incredulously.

"No, he ran but his dogs did."

"Dogs?"

JJ sighed, "Reid and I followed Hankel out to the barn. We thought we could wait him out. Spencer told me he would go around back and I would cover the front while we waited for the others. We wanted to wait him out. A loud noise came from inside the barn. So I went in to investigate thinking Reid had made his way inside." JJ's eyes looked very far away as she told the next part of her story. "It was dark. I couldn't see anything. Then I felt myself step in something. It was blood. They had completely torn her apart. Nothing left…" She trailed off.

"So it wasn't Spencer you heard, it was the dogs." Claire said trying to bring her friend back. JJ blinked and shook her head.

"Yes, they jumped me and I had to shoot them. Then I hid." JJ said.

"You hid?" asked Claire. "You didn't hear anything outside the barn at all?"

"I suppose I did at the time but I was too scared and my body was working overtime from all the adrenaline. I froze." JJ tried to explain.

"So not only did you split up but you let fear get the best of you?" Claire said standing up.

"I tried to tell him we shouldn't have split up," JJ defended.

"Well, you should have tried harder." Claire said angrily. "If you had stayed together, he would be here right now. He looks up to you; you should have set the right example." Claire felt in her heart that those last words were horrible to say but she didn't care at the moment. JJ was a fantastic role model but she should have known better. Claire stalked out of the room as JJ hung her head. She made her way out to the front of the house and sat on the porch steps.

Her anger towards JJ wasn't going to bring Spencer back to her any faster, she knew that. But the fact that it had been the team's oversight that had put Spencer in this position angered her. They are the FBI for God's sake! Why did they make such a careless mistake?

"Perhaps, we have grown too cocky," said a voice behind her. Claire ducked her head trying to head the blush of shame that had found its way across her cheeks.

"I wasn't aware I was talking out loud." She murmured. A strong arm made its way around her shoulder and she was overcome by the smell of Old Spice. It was Morgan.

"We all do it sometimes, Red," Morgan soothed.

Claire snorted, "Those of us who are not intellectually gifted do."

Morgan chuckled.

"I didn't really mean what I said, you know," Claire said.

"I know. You're frustrated, angry, we all are," Morgan said. "We all feel guilty in some way."

"I shouldn't have said those things to JJ," Claire said.

"She knows you didn't mean them," Morgan said. She is probably the most upset over it compared to the rest of the team. It was a unique situation though and there sometimes isn't a handbook guide you or protocol to follow. They did what they thought was best at the time."

"Morgan, you are slowly making me feel worse about what I said." Claire said putting her head in her hands.

"What I am trying to say is you and JJ can't keep playing the "what if?" game. You have to move forward from where you are."

Claire nodded, "I believe that is the deepest thing I have ever heard you say, Derek Morgan."

Morgan smiled and helped her to your feet. "Go back inside. Penelope is looking for you. She wants you to keep her company. You should try to get some rest too."

"I'm okay, I slept in the car." Claire brushed off.

"No you didn't," Morgan said. "You aren't a good fake sleeper. Your breathing was never regular." Claire stuck his tongue out at him and headed toward the door.

"I should apologize to JJ," she sighed. Morgan nodded in agreement. "Are you coming?" she asked.

"Nah, I'm going have a look around the outside of the house and see if we missed anything." Morgan said descending the steps.

"Okay, night," Claire said.

"Goodnight, baby-girl," Morgan said.

Claire watched as Morgan walked around the side of the house then walked inside to apologize to her friend.

* * *

_Spencer stroked her hair. She buried her face into the pillow. "Five more minutes," she mumbled. He kissed her shoulder. _

"_You have a gallery opening this morning;" he said softly, "remember?"_

_Claire nodded. "Mhmm," he hummed. Her eyes were still closed. "What time is it?" _

_Spencer didn't answer her. _

_"Spencer," she moaned. _

_She opened her eyes. A dark figure had Spencer on his knees and a knife to his throat. She screamed. A hand clamped around her mouth to silencer her. She whirled around. It was an angel. An angel with wings whose feathers were as black as night and slick like oil. Its eyes were black, soulless. A disembodied voice crept into her mind. It came from the angel. "Live or die. We don't care." The angel looked towards Spencer. "As long as it's God's will." The angel nodded to the dark figure. The figure quickly sliced Spencer's throat. Blood spilled onto the floor as Spencer's body crumpled into a heap. Claire tried to scream again but was silent as the angel stalked toward her. She tried backing away. He crouched then sprang for her. _

Claire woke up with a start. Her heart hammering in her chest. The air mattress groaned as her sudden weight shift. Garcia looked at her from her seat in front of Hankel's many computers.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," she soothed. "You okay?"

Claire shook her head trying to cast out the horrible images of her nightmare.

"I'm fine," she croaked. She looked down at herself. She was still wearing her clothes from last night.

"I came in and you were passed out cold," Garcia said as if reading her mind. "I tucked you in." Claire smiled at her friend but her dream still troubled her.

"What time is it?" she asked gathering her hair into a ponytail.

"About six thirty in the morning," Garcia sighed. She took off her glasses to rub her eyes. Claire noticed the dark circles forming under her friend's eyes. They were identical to her own. "You could go back to sleep if you want," Garcia offered putting her glasses back on.

Claire shook her head. She couldn't go back to sleep after that nightmare. "No, I'm okay. I am going to see if I can find some coffee."

"They team already has some made," Garcia said gesturing to her own cup.

"Good," Claire said throwing off the cartoon princess covered fleece blanket off of her. Obliviously, Garcia had given Morgan specific instructions on what to buy. She pulled on her shoes and made her way to the kitchen.

She grabbed one of the many Styrofoam cups stacked by the coffee maker. Looks like the team didn't trust any of the dishes in this house. She could understand why. The house was cluttered with stuff: random computer parts, books, many different versions of the Bible, even a few rosaries. Each pile with another pile of dust on top of it. After she made her coffee she found her way to the front porch steps and watched as the sun rose over the fields of corn that lined the highway. She couldn't shake her nightmare. The angel bothered her the most. Its gaze with its black eyes was piercing and unnerving. She shuddered and tightened her grip around her cup.

"Garcia said I might find you here," Hotch said behind her.

"Penny knows me too well," Claire said. "The artist in me loves to see what beauty the sunrise can bring. When I get up early, that is."

Hotch walked over and stood beside her. "It is beautiful," he said. "Why are you up? Garcia said you were sleeping so deeply that not even the Prentiss's and Morgan's arguing over profiling theories didn't wake you."

Claire looked down at the steam her cup of coffee was creating in the chilly morning air. "I had a nightmare," she said.

She felt Hotch slowly sit down beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Spencer died," she whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek. "I was with him. It was in my house. He killed him right in front of me." She didn't mention the angel. She didn't want Hotch thinking she was crazy. "I know it wasn't real and it is just the stress getting to me. But what happened in that nightmare just paralyzed me." She wiped her eyes. "I'm afraid, Aaron." Hotch nodded.

"You're a strong woman, Claire. Reid's strong too. He will get through this. He's brilliant. And he has you. He will hang on for you. You are all he talks about when he is doing paper-work in the bull-pen and on the plane going to cases. Once Morgan threatened to tape his mouth shut if he didn't stop talking about you. He loves you," Hotch said. Claire sniffed and nodded. "Come on," Hotch said standing up. "JJ and Prentiss are going to talk to someone Hankel may have known a few years back this morning and we need all extra eyes we can get to help us go through all of these journals." Claire looked at him warily. Don't worry they aren't graphic in any way." He assured. He held his hand out to help her up. She grudgingly accepted and followed Hotch back into the house. He gave her a few small volumes of Hankel's journals to start with. "Look for anything that may suggest where Hankel might have gone." Claire nodded then sat down and began to read.

* * *

The team and the county's lead detective had been going through journals for hours and nothing of any significance about Hankel's whereabouts had surfaced. Claire was growing frustrated but she didn't say anything. She let the others argue over how to profile Hankel and Hankel's deceased father, whose body Morgan had found in the cellar last night. Nothing special was in the journals that Hotch had given her. All Hankel seemed to care about was caring for his father and how much he admired God for giving them everything they needed. His journals entries were predictable, almost child-like. Claire read on though hoping something would reveal itself in Hankel's chicken scratch.

"My guess he is a mediator between the two." She heard Gideon say. They must have been discussing the possible personalities Hankel had adopted other than his own. "Angel's have no human emotion." Claire jerked her head up to look at Gideon. What did he say? "Live or die, they don't care, as long as it is God's will." Claire stiffened that was what the angel in her dream had said last night. Chill bumps made their way across her arms. She noticed Morgan staring at her. He noticed her reaction.

"I'll get Garcia on it," he told Hotch never breaking his stare with her.

"I'll go with you," Claire said quickly standing up. She followed him into the other room.

"You okay, Red?" Morgan asked.

Claire nodded, "I'm fine. I just needed to get away from the talking for a while."

Morgan nodded and went over to Garcia. Claire sat down on the air mattress and opened Hankel's journal again. She was only skimming which most likely wasn't proper protocol for analyzing someone's personal life but she was unnerved by what Gideon had said. So if Hankel's personality was that of an angel was it just one person she had seen in her dream and not two? She strained to hear to the conversations in the other room. Two new voices were added. It sounded like JJ and Emily were back. Claire picked up the words "no idea", "drug problem" and "Dilaudid". Claire knew Dilaudid was an extremely potent narcotic. Her brother had been on it for a little while after he had broken his leg playing football in high school. "No wonder Hankel was so messed up," she murmured.

"Oh my God!" She heard Garcia gasp.

Claire looked up at her friend, "What? He is," she started then she noticed Spencer on the computer screens. "Oh my God!" she echoed she started toward the screens but was stopped by Morgan. He grabbed her arms

"Claire, go get the others and stay in the other room," he said.

"What?" Claire asked in disbelief. She shook her head. "No, no I won't do that. I—"

Morgan cut her off, "I wouldn't be asking you this if it wasn't to protect you,"

"I don't need protecting, Morgan, I can handle things!"His grip on her loosened and she took her chance and ran to the seat by Garcia. "What? How?" she asked her. The others hurriedly filed into the room apparently Morgan had called them in. Claire stared the video feed of Spencer on the computer screen closest to her. She touched it, rubbing her thumb over the image Spencer's face. He had been beaten. Claire could see the blood caked on the side of his forehead. But he was alive. Thank God, he was still alive.

"I am going to put this guy's head on a stick." She heard Morgan whisper. "As long as I can help, Morgan," she thought.

Hankel and Spencer were talking. Spencer's voice was hoarse and tired. Claire watched as Hankel grabbed him by the shirt and yell. She tore her hand from the screen and put it over her mouth.

"That must be Hankel's father," Hotch commented. "Hankel doesn't like confrontation."

Hankel's father asked Spencer to choose someone to die as threw him back into his chair.

"All right," Spencer gasped. "I'll choose who lives."

Claire listened as Hankel recited the name and address of the person Spencer had chosen. A woman named Marilyn David. Garcia pulled her name and phone number which Gideon dialed promptly. Claire continued to watch the screen. Hankel had disappeared out of the frame and Spencer was looking at where he had gone. He said nothing more. "Come on, Spencer," she pleaded internally. "Look at the camera. Look at me!"

She watched Spencer stiffen and ask, "Raphael?"

There was a moment of silence and then the video feed cut off. The screens went dark.

Claire inhaled sharply and hid her face in her hands. The team was silent. She heard someone stalk out of the room and bang on the door on their way out. She knew it was Morgan only he had outbursts of physical anger like that.

"So now what?" the lead detective asked. "Wait for a 911 call and hope we get there in time?" No one answered him. Claire heard them slowly filing out of the room over Garcia's ferocious typing. Someone placed a hand on her shoulder; she flinched away from it.

"Claire?" JJ asked.

"Not now, JJ," Claire said angrily. She raced out of the room and up the stairs.

* * *

**Do you see what I mean about it getting too long? lol.**

**References: _Remembrances of Things Past _by Marcel Proust, John Keats (I cannot remember if it was from a poem or a letter), (when Claire is talking to Morgan in the car her reply to Morgan telling her that she might not like what she hears) "I don't _like_ flat soda. I don't _like_ crappy boy band pop. I don't _like _being stuck in traffic. I don't _like _math homework. I _hate _Jace. See the difference?" ~ Simon from Cassie Clare's _City fo Bones_, Claire's ringtone "Last Night on Earth" by Delta Goodrem, Garcia and Claire's inside joke is based on the cartoon _Kim Possible. _**

**I should finish the last part by Thanksgiving break. Maybe even before. ::crosses fingers::**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Always, **

**LLLimwen**


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